Mobile Browsing

I came across this column by Tobi Elkin in MediaPost (registration required) that says 28% of people who have a wireless handset have browsed the web on it.

The data comes from an Ipsos study and the column includes this quote from Adam Wright at Ipsos:

Advanced wireless networks and new handsets now offer a good browsing experience, so the phone has become a good way for people to extend the way they conduct their daily activities,"

That is certainly my experience. A year ago, I was never accessing the web on my phone.  Today, I do it all the time, at least 3-5 times per day if not more.

I think there are three issues that have to get solved for this kind of thing to truly go mainstream.  The first is screen size.  My phone has a screen that is 3.5" wide and 1.75" high.  It's big enough for me to read web pages, but it's not big enough to read maps and other heavily graphical applications.

The second issue is network speed.  The 2.5 generation networks like GPRS (which is what I am using on my phone right now) are really not fast enough for the average user.  I put up with it, but I doubt that most people will.  However, 3rd generation is upon is with things like Edge and EVDO, and they are getting into phones quickly.  I actually think the network speed issue will be solved before the other two issues.

The third issue is server side recognition and delivery of a mobile browser version of the web service.  Too few web services do a good job of recognizing a mobile browser and sending down the right format for viewing.  This has to change before mobile browsing goes mainstream.

These issues have been mostly solved in other parts of the world, like Asia and increasingly Europe.  As is always the case with mobile technology, the US is the last to get the good stuff.  But I expect the next 12 months will see major progress on all three of my big issues.  I would bet that 50% of the people who have wireless phones will be browsing the web on them this time next year.

In the meantime, we have another category emerging which is wifi enabled devices like the Sony PSP and Nokia 770  that allow you to walk around the house and/or office and browse the web wirelessly via your wifi connection.  With metropolitan wifi mesh networks emerging over the next couple years, these devices may be a better way to browse the web outside the home or office.

Of course, the big reason that all of this matters is that web delivered services are where the action is in technology these days. When the day comes that we can develop a web delivered service and access it on whatever screen we want, computer, phone, flat panel TV in the family room, then the power of the Internet revolution will finally be realized.

It's not so far away now.

Comments

[Bjorn Ruwald]

Hi Fred,

Did you somehow turn off the possibility of viewing your stats with sitemeter? If yes, why?

Bjorn

[fred]

Bjorn

it just happened when i republished my site and i can't figure out why.

but i am going to move to blogbeat once i get a month's worth of stats up there.

i am still at about 150k PVs a month and about 55k uniques

Fred

[Doug Ellis]

Fred,

What phone are you using? I'm using a Blackberry 8700g (I know you not a BB fan). T-Mobile's EDGE network seems pretty solid. The browsing experience is suprisingly good.

doug

[Stewart]

Russell Beattie posted some interesting stats on Friday...

http://mobile.russellbeattie.com/notebook/1008988.html

[Michael Sitarzewski]

I just picked up a Cingular 8125 - and all I have to say is wow. It is a Windows Mobile 5 based phone (I'm even a Mac user!) and I couldn't be more pleased with it. I have the unlimited PDA data plan, so I set my phone set to check my email (IMAP) every 5 minutes, just like my laptop. I use Opera as the web browser, and have Agile Messenger for instant messaging. It has wifi too, so I've installed wififofum... an application that scans for wifi networks.

[fred]

doug - i currently use a sidekick but i have a 8700g (t-mobile version of 8700c) on the way and am moving back to Blackberry and am quite excited about it.

michael - i tried windows mobile and couldn't make it work for me. i think it might be a classic microsoft version 1 problem. sounds like you are having a better experience.

[rob]

fred -

the fatal problem of a poor user experience due to slow network speed and a cramped UI is, i think, going to continue to hamper mainstream adoption of the "mobile web" for a while. on the other hand, point solutions like those delivered by google *www.sms.google.com* provide for some interesting concepts on where the mobile web could be going - who's to say that it HAS to be a visual UI? rapid advancements in processor power and application development may mean that the mobile web is voice powered instead - looking at the version that we all use on our desktops and assuming that the mobile version has to be based on that leaves open opportunities for people to "think outside the box" (my cliche for the week) and do an end run on someone stuck in that mode of thinking....

rob

[Greg]

Well, I've been checking news and such on my phone since WAP days... but I'm a geek. I think most users are still reluctant to hit the air network, because data charges are unpredictable, and they don't know what the ultimate costs are going to be. Until we have pricing plans that give you some reasonable amount of data traffic free with your monthly nut, I'm doubtful that this will take off with mainstream consumers.

[Rick]

I am on a Cingular BBerry 7290. Obviously the email is fantastic (despite Cingular's very small data limits).

I find myself going online more and more, but page loading is still painfully slow

The mobile web started about 1998 or so... things have never improved.

Tweens and teens and genxers use mobile phone text messaging almost more than they make calls - so there's obviously a big market.

[charlie crystle]

I just broke down and got the Treo 700w--it's GREAT! Browsing is fast, email is easy, I can RDC into my work computer, and best of all--I can use it as a broadband modem to access the web through EVDO (with a third party software hack). So I don't look for wifi spots anymore. so nice!

[Ecacofonix]

On a slightly tangential note, the new mTLD, dotMobi (.mobi) has just been launched ans in under the sunrise period...dotMobi is expected to enhance the mobile browsing experience much more, as sites belonging to dotMobi TLD need to conform to certain rules that make access to those sites on mobiles easier

More info & updates on dotMobi can be found at Mobinomy.com - the dotMobi Directory...Mobinomy.com also plans to start a directory for dotMobi only sites soon

Ec from IT, Software Database @ eIT.in